MARK CRESSOTTI
WESTFIELD – The Water Commission voted last night to fund installation of a larger water main to provide sufficient flow for fire service at the Senior Center now under construction on Noble Street.
City Engineer Mark Cressotti presented the project, and the funding request of $48,900, to the board, explaining that the water line improvement is part of a much larger project planned in the future, but that the fire flow is needed much sooner for senior center.
The current water line serving Noble Street is “inadequate” for fire protection, mostly four-inch line and will eventually be replaced as part of the Old Town Improvement Project. The scope of the Old Town project is to replace infrastructure, including water lines, where needed, and install new curbing and pavement.
MIKE BURNS
Cressotti said water mains have been replaced on other streets near the senior center. There is a 12-inch main on Lindbergh Boulevard and an eight-inch line under McKinley.
Cressotti said that the eight-inch line will be extended 225 feet along Noble Street to the senior center site. A six-inch line will be installed across the parking lot of the center and connect to an existing four-inch line providing water to Murphy Circle.
“It will create a loop and improve water pressure not only to the senior center, but also the residents of the senior apartment complex,” Cressotti said. “I’ve been told they cannot open the doors (of the senior center) without fire protection. They need fire flow for occupancy.”
“The senior center is under construction now, and will be opened at this time next year,” Cressotti said, “so we need to improvement the water main on Noble Street.”
Commissioner Michael Burns Sr., who typically opposes unprogrammed spending, spoke in favor of funding the $42,900.
“This senior center is a project that has been a long-time coming,” Burns said. “It’s a worthy project. We need to support this.”
In other business, the commission voted to approve a change order for work being done under the Gaslight District Project. Cressotti said that an additional $18,150 is needed to install temporary water lines for fire protection to buildings within the project area.
The board also approved another Gaslight District change order of $1,050 for reconfiguration of a manhole structure for a new sewer line being installed on Summer Street at the entrance of the Franklin Street municipal parking lot. Cressotti said that the problem is the large number of underground pipes and lines.
“They’re going to have to install a square manhole instead of the round structure typically used,” Cressotti said.
The commission also approved a contract for $58,700 to increase separation of sewer and stormwater lines under Elm Street in the downtown area. Cressotti said there are separate lines, but that the lines are accessed through the same manhole structures. The commission awarded the contract to National Water Main Cleaning, Inc.
“There is a weir between the lines in the structures to prevent cross connection, but the state Department of Environmental Protection wants the lines isolated,” Cressotti said. “The plan is to seal the lines in alternating manholes so there is still access.”
